The Tesla Model 3 Troubles We Predicted

When you showcase a new product and announce a date, or at least some form of a date, as to when the product will arrive on the market for consumers, you’re expected to meet this deadline and offer the product for the public. Unfortunately, Tesla has had a history of missing deadlines, having to move the target of release dates, and in some cases canceling work altogether. When the company showed off the Model 3 as the affordable EV that you could begin driving in 2017, they set themselves up for failure.

While the lofty goals set by Tesla certainly were admirable, the showcasing of the Model 3 and the fact that a reservation number only cost a $1,000 deposit for a car that was to come in at a price of around $35,000 caused a huge stir. Initially, over 400,000 people put their money down for this vehicle to make sure they could be in the line to receive this affordable Tesla model. Most of these customers had never thought they could afford aTesla model in the past, but now, with the Model 3, they certainly could make this dream a reality and have a futuristic vehicle to drive.

Refunding Deposits has Begun for the Model 3

As we’ve seen in the past, Tesla ha a difficult time reaching their production goals and the Model 3 production is no different at all. This car and the demand for it have caused the Tesla team to set lofty production goals before they were ready and along the way they have failed. Every mark they’ve set for this car has failed miserably and several executives and leaders that have the experience needed to help make this car and the production goals a reality have been fired or have tendered their resignations along the way.

These troubles have caused Tesla to refund nearly a quarter of all the deposits that have been put on the vehicle that we expected to see more of already. After the first quarter of this year, Tesla was only able to deliver 8,180 Model 3 sedans to customers. With over 450,000 reservations still on the books and the trim that’s been built of this car so far being the one that’s packed with all the options you want, many people are beginning to get impatient with Tesla and are turning elsewhere for their EV driving experience.

Where can the customers go that want to have a refund for the deposit but still want an EV to drive? There are currently two long-range affordable EV models that are offered with more coming in the near future. This means a customer could choose the Chevrolet Bolt or the Nissan Leaf and pick one off the lot and drive away today. No waiting, no being led in the wrong direction, and no $1,000 deposit for these cars; maybe Tesla needs to take a page from this book and cancel all reservations to set up sales lots where the cars can be sold in a more traditional manner.